“Break Me Down” is the first single taken from pop auteur Paul Smith’s new solo album ‘Contradictions’.

Showing a more vulnerable side to the Maxïmo Park ringleader, it juxtaposes with the upbeat nature of the song. “Despite this being the poppiest song on the album, there’s a lot of yearning, looking back at a relationship and the sense of a lost opportunity underlying the reminiscence” explains Smith.
The single is accompanied by a new video by Gemma Yin Taylor, of which Smith says “I wanted a colourful video to match the song. Gemma, the director, hand-painted and then animated the whole thing so that there’s a finely-crafted element to the bold visuals.”

Contradictions took four years to write and record, having begun life on the road at the point Paul assembled his ‘Intimations’, Andrew Hodson (drums) from electronic duo Warm Digits and Claire Adams (bass), to help tour his personal solo debut Margins. The album finds Paul in a more reflective state opposed to the adrenaline-fuelled pop choruses he’s been known for up to now and is a clearer, more hi-fi progression from Margins’ melancholy. ”I only ever want to release music that I feel adds something new to the world, however small”, Smith says, “and I’m confident that Contradictions is an alternative pop record that fulfils my own criteria.”

Smith will take his Intimations out on the road this September for a full UK tour. Tickets go on sale Friday 10th July.